Delving

Araloth kel'Maren (commonly referred to as “Delving”) is the city with two faces. One face, known as Outer Delving, is a modest town nestled between three hills. The other is that of Dark Delving, an enormous expanse of homes, meeting halls, and businesses beneath the soil, hewn from the living rock of a depleted mine. It extends massively beyond Outer Delving’s meager topside boundaries both in depth and distance. As the dwarves carved their homes out of the former mine, they stumbled across a natural tunnel on the lowest level that led them into previously unknown and untapped veins of riches. The mine's tunnels are both natural and dwarf made, with new veins of minerals continuously being discovered. Currently, there is no comparable exporter of finely masoned stonework, exquisitely pure gold, brilliant copper or abundant coal. The Quanach lake, which is located in a cavern about sixty meters below the surface, provides the dwarves with the ability to sustain life deep into Delving where no other could by powering their machinery and quenching their thirst. Sporting one of the few grain mills in the area, it attracts many farmers, as well as merchants eagerly seeking after Delving's mining bounty. Because of their remote location, the inhabitants of Delving have reluctantly forged relationships with nearby towns and races for trade. Still, they look upon outsiders with a certain amount of disdain, preferring to toil in their mines.

Description

There are two sections to Delving. One is Outer Delving, which comprises the Eastern two-thirds of the town's boundaries, and the rest is occupied by Dark Delving. Although Dark Delving seemingly has smaller surface area, it is important to note that the vast majority of Dark Delving is far underground.

Exterior

Outer Delving could more accurately be called “above ground Delving,” as that is its key feature. Ornate stone buildings with multicolored shingled roofs make up the majority of the structures of Outer Delving. The architecture of Outer Delving remains a testament to the StoneBreakers that constructed it. Decadent columns and magnificent archways are very common, as are elaborate fountains and statues. All stone used in these buildings came from Dark Delving, while the homes and businesses there contained were hewn from the rock itself.

Outer Delving measures roughly two hundred meters north gate to south gate, and about one hundred fifty meters from the east gate to the Stoneway Lifts. It is separated into north and south halves by the road traveling west to east. Outer Delving borders Dark Delving on the west, between which runs the north/south road. The majority of non-dwarf races tend to be concentrated in Outer Delving. Many of the non-dwarfs are self-employed, selling their wares along the roads in stalls made from the wood cut from the nearby forest.

Interior

Dark Delving is the land of perpetual shadow. Located west of Outer Delving, the opening into the ancient mine is a ninety meter wide, one hundred forty meter long rough oval shaft which has a cavernous roof dotted with stalactites jutting over it from the overhanging hill. This overhang blocks the vast majority of light emanated by the Azure Sun. Even during the brilliant daylight hours, twilight reigns in Dark Delving. In order to provide illumination, a series of five meter wide rock bowls have been hung through a system of chains and winches from the cavern's ceiling. Called Fire Bowls, they are filled with the very coal mined in Dark Delving and they produce most of the light along the fifty meter descent of the main shaft. The Fire Bowls are placed every ten meters or so, with each one lower than the last, in a step-wise fashion along the entire Stoneway Road

The Stoneway Road begins at the left side of the Stoneway Lifts and is just over six meters wide. It is paved with cobblestone and fixed with mortar to reduce wear. It descends in a gentle slope along the perimeter of the shaft from left to right, eventually coming to the bottom level just to the right of the Stoneway Lifts.

Along the left side of the Stoneway Road, at every ten meters of descent, is a short hall that opens into a concourse and the true face of Dark Delving. These concourses lead to houses, businesses, and other points of interest. Arched windows have been cut through the concourse walls and the merry burning of torches shines through, further lighting the Stoneway Road. Along the right side of the road at eight meter intervals are magnificent pillars with exquisitely carved foot and capstones engineered to support the weight above.

There are four concourses, beginning on level two and continuing through to five, the lowest of the levels, with roughly a meter or two of dense rock between them. From floor to the highest point a concourse generally measures eight meters. Each concourse has connecting halls with magnificent, arched ceilings designed to support the weight of the rock. Down these hallways are doors leading into houses, businesses, and pathways to various staircases that allow quick access between levels. The level five concourse mainly has housing (as do all other concourses), but also one of two large cisterns of water held in reserve, and the highly prized grain mill. Level four is similar, containing the second cistern, but also the Quartz Garden. The third level sports Tridik's, housing, and the Courtyard of Proclamation. The concourse on level two, besides housing, has the major recreational area of Dark Delving, the Kor Velan Bathhouse. On the first level, there is no concourse or housing, but the Stoneway lifts, the Mine Office, Goujah Pen, and mine entrances.

Points of Interest

Lazy Goujah Inn

Used by surface dwellers and merchants, it is a very large, three-story structure in Outer Delving. It boasts an excellently stocked bar and tremendous food at a reasonable price, not to mention comfortable beds and very good security.

Kironak’s Storehouse

Located in Outer Delving, stone is processed, finished, stored, and exported from this giant warehouse.

Stoneway Road

This road leads from the top of Dark Delving to the bottom, roughly fifty meters from the surface.

Stoneway Lifts

These lifts travel from the surface directly to the bottom, but do so rather quickly. The lifts are built around a system of counter weights and water pressure from Quanach Lake.

Vigesimi Courthouse

Because of the remote location of Delving and the surrounding areas, one of the previously wealthy merchant’s mansions was converted into a courthouse and residence for the governing Vigesimi. Cases from the Pterosaur Bronze Doors, Dwarven Towers, and Quintherion, that could not be settled locally, are heard here. The courthouse is located in Outer Delving.

Quartz Garden

A cavern was found on level four, measuring twenty meters by sixteen, with a roof over eleven meters tall. Gorgeous formations of quartz of varying colors have naturally formed in amazing crystalline patterns.

Quanach Lake

Sixty meters below the surface, a tunnel on the ground floor of Dark Delving eventually corkscrews its way into a massive cavern that houses the lake. Due to the importance of the water to the survival of Dark Delving, this tunnel is heavily guarded. Using the pressure of water, natural gradients, and ingeniously placed pipes, the dwarves have engineered a subterranean aqueduct that guides controlled amounts of water from the underground lake into the cisterns of Dark Delving. From there the water flows into the homes and businesses of residents. This water is also directed to massive wheels that, through sophisticated systems of gears and levers, power the lifts and the mill.

Kor Velan Bathhouse

One of the many pleasures of the second level is the bathhouse. Residents can enjoy soothing soaks in naturally warmed water that was tapped by dwarven engineers. Some even claim that the waters have healing properties.

Tridik's

Located on level three, anything and everything that can be bought and sold is handled by Tridik. He boasts a very wide selection, including a few things he really should not have.

Goujah Pen

On the ground (highest) floor of Dark Delving, this pen is where the goujah used in the mine are kept, fed, and watered with the runoff from the city above.

Mine Office

Also on the ground floor of Dark Delving, these offices regulate all miners and access to the mines. Anyone attempting to enter a mine without a permit, for any reason, will be stopped. Further violations are dealt with harshly. Permits for mine entry may be purchased or otherwise bargained for at this location.

Mine Entrances

There are three main mining tunnel entrances, each supplied with a guard to monitor who comes and goes. Located on the ground floor of Dark Delving, each tunnel leads to areas where specific ores are mined. From these main tunnels other, smaller branches break off.

Burial Well

On the ground floor of Dark Delving, among all the mining tunnels, there is one far to the left that is not guarded. If one were to travel down that tunnel they would find themselves faced with a large stone head with an open mouth and a seemingly unending pit therein. This is the Delving Burial Well.

Courtyard of Proclamation

Whether by some strange magic from the gods or natural erosion, the Courtyard of Proclamation is a true marvel. Just off the third level concourse, it is a five by five meter room where speaking in even a hushed voice will result in a booming resound that can be heard across Delving. As such, it is guarded to prevent abuse and used when general announcements by the Vigesimi must be made.

Grain Mill

Nestled on the fifth and lowest level, between the cistern and several houses, the millstone crushes wheat and other grains with untiring driving force. A water wheel harnesses the Lake's energy through a system of gears that propel the mill.

Brenik's Smelting

Between a few residential houses in Outer Delving is the towering smokestack that is the metallurgists' hallmark. Whisking away the deadly fumes, Brenik's safely refines and purifies gold and copper.